Reportedly, teams hoping to land AJ Brown will not get their way. Several reports stated that the star WR is expected to remain in Philadelphia through the upcoming NFL Draft. This comes as the 28-year-old is expected to be traded, only after June 1.
Many fans anticipated this outcome given the significant salary cap hit the Philadelphia Eagles would face if they traded Brown before June 1. When asked about Brown’s future during the pre-draft press conference, general manager Howie Roseman made the team’s stance clear, saying, “AJ Brown is an Eagle.” Philadelphia has also added several receivers this offseason, including Dontayvion Wicks, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, and Elijah Moore.
If the team selects another receiver in the coming days, it could further signal their long-term plans.
Philadelphia’s recent signings
Over the past few weeks, Philadelphia has strengthened its wide receiver room. They signed Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Elijah Moore in free agency, and traded two draft picks to the Green Bay Packers to acquire Dontayvion Wicks, who also signed a one-year, $12.5 million extension. ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggested these moves could hint at future plans. “Every time they add another wide receiver, it just reinforces the notion that they are open to the idea that they’ll be moving on from A.J. Brown,” Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show. He added that he would lean toward a trade happening eventually.
The financial stakes
Trading Brown would reportedly cost the Eagles over $43 million, though that figure would drop to around $16 million after June 1. Former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum explained the situation on Get Up, saying, “All signs point to a post-June 1 trade of AJ Brown.”
Draft dynamics elsewhere
Meanwhile, the New York Giants slipped to the No 5 pick after defeating the Dallas Cowboys in the final week of the season, costing them a potential top-two selection. Still, they remain in position to make a significant move. With only seven picks in the 2026 draft – spanning the first, second, fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds – New York’s flexibility is somewhat limited.
One analyst noted that if Dallas chooses to move up, “Dallas is going to have a lot of flexibility with their draft capital,” suggesting the possibility of a strategic shift during the draft.
